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Peer-to-Peer Sharing & Child Pornography

One unforeseen consequence of the rise of the internet has been the rapid
increase in child pornography distribution. Those who participate in the
exploitation of children can sell, trade and share material through any
number of mediums, including email, instant messaging and peer-to-peer networks.

If you’re unfamiliar with peer-to-peer, also known as P2P, you’re
not alone. P2P is a relatively lesser-known method of online sharing that
allows files or folders to be anonymously shared across multiple computers.
All you need to do is download a P2P client application to connect to
other P2P client users across the world. Since there is no central server
for the files, the content is not generally reviewed or controlled, making
it easy to share illicit content.

Unfortunately, a P2P user looking for legal pornography, or even cartoon
shows, may find themselves accidently downloading child pornography. Entering
keywords such as celebrity names or cartoon characters can lead to child
pornography. Unfortunately, you can’t preview a file on P2P until
it’s downloaded on your computer, making it impossible to know the
exact content. Child pornography may also come hidden inside of a folder
filled with thousands of regular photos and videos. Worse yet, the images
that are downloaded on a computer are then automatically shared with other
P2P users, which leads to the distribution of child pornography.

Even if you delete the child pornography seconds after downloading, law
enforcement may recover the deleted images from your hard drive. An FBI
investigation into child pornography distribution can lead them directly
to you, even if the download was an accident. Anyone who believes they
have mistakenly or accidently downloaded child pornography should immediately
contact a lawyer for advice on rights, obligations and how to proceed.

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